Weekly Australian Climate, Water and Agricultural Update, 19 June 2025

Key issues

• In the week ending 18 June 2025 cold fronts and low-pressure systems brought rainfall to parts of southern Australia.
  • Rainfall was highly variable across cropping regions this week. The western margins of Western Australia received 5-50 millimetres, South Australian regions recorded between 1- 25 millimetres, and Victoria, southern New South Wales and northern Queensland between 1-15 millimetres.
  • Across most cropping regions in South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales these falls have likely provided some useful follow-up moisture to support crop establishment. However, further rainfall will be required in across parts of southern Western Australia, the Eyre Peninsula and the Mallee regions in South Australia and Victoria in the coming weeks to support the establishment of newly germinated crops.
• Over the coming eight days, rainfall is expected across parts of southern Australia.
  • 10-50 millimetres of rainfall is expected in Western Australian cropping regions, while other southern cropping regions are expected to receive lower rainfall totals of 10-25 millimetres.
  • If realised these falls will add some useful follow-up moisture to those regions that received little to no rainfall in recent weeks. However, further rainfall will be required in the coming weeks in Eyre Peninsula and the Mallee regions in South Australia and Victoria to support the establishment of newly germinated crops.
• Rainfall in May 2025 was variable across the world’s major grain- and oilseed-producing regions, leading to differing crop production outcomes.
  • Global production conditions were generally favourable for rice and maize, but variable for wheat and soybeans.
  • Global production conditions have been slightly more favourable to those used to formulate ABARES 2024–25 forecasts of global grain supplies and world prices in the June 2025 Agricultural Commodities Report. As a result, global grain and oilseed production are likely to increase beyond the numbers in the June forecast, due to improvements in global wheat, maize and rice production.
• Water storage levels in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) increased by 237 gigalitres (GL) between 12 June 2025 and 19 June 2025. The current volume of water held in storages is 12,898 GL, equivalent to 58% of total storage capacity. This is 25% or 4,325 GL less than at the same time last year. Water storage data is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology.
• Allocation prices in the Victorian Murray below the Barmah Choke increased from $250/ML on 12 June 2025 to $311/ML on 19 June 2025. Trade from the Goulburn to the Murray is closed. Trade downstream through the Barmah Choke is closed. Trade from the Murrumbidgee to the Murray is open.